Pseudomonas 1999-Seventh International Congress on Pseudomonas: Biotechnology and Pathogenesis is to be held September 1-5, 1999 at the Hyatt Regency Maui, Hawaii. The goal of this conference, being organized with assistance from the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), is to bring together scientists from around the world with different sub-specialties that are relevant to Pseudomonas research. The genus Pseudomonas applies to gram- negative, nonenteric, generally non-fermenting, motile, aerobic bacteria. P. aeruginosa and Burkholderia (formerly Pseudomonas) cepacia have importance for public health. These bacteria can cause serious infections in compromised individuals, such as burn patients, surgery patients, and cystic fibrosis patients, and can have a high level of resistance to many antibiotics making their eradication difficult. P. fluorescens, P. syringae, and Ralstonia (formerly Pseudomonas) solanacearum, are significant for their effects on plants. Some of these can infect plants and cause disease, while others can protect their hosts by the production of antibiotic compounds that prevent fungi infections. Additional environmental Pseudomonads, such as P. putida, can degrade various pollutants, including chloroaromatic and nitroaromatic compounds and thus these bacteria have potential bioremediation applications; the metabolism of some of these compounds can also lead to the production of reagents of commercial value. Thus, the general topic of Pseudomonas research spans a number of disciplines, including cell biology, plant pathology, environmental microbiology, metabolism, and gene regulation. Many of the approaches, techniques, and analyses used in these studies can extend across these fields, however few venues are available to promote the interactions between the scientists in these diverse fields. At Pseudomonas 1999, the session topics and poster presentations will be organized to integrate these various topics, rather than to separate them. In addition, free time will be available before the afternoon poster session for informal social interactions. We anticipate that the format of this International Congress on Pseudomonas, as with the six previous meetings, will encourage the intermingling of scientists to find common interests, share new technologies, and develop fruitful collaborations across the various fields related to Pseudomonas. We will make a concerted effort to include women, minorities, and persons with disabilities at this conference. After the meeting, we will publish a report of this conference in the ASM News and Trends in Microbiology.